Judge Rules On GOP Voting Machine Lawsuit

Posted: Sat 5:43 PM, Oct 30, 2010&nbsp|&nbsp

Updated: Sun 1:05 PM, Oct 31, 2010

A Federal judge ordered Saturday that the State Board of Elections be required to take steps to ensure voters' ballots are accurately cast, following a lawsuit filed by the NCGOP after receiving multiple reports of voting inaccuracies in several North Carolina counties.

"We are pleased with today's outcome," said NCGOP Chairman Tom Fetzer. "But it is unfortunate that a Federal judge had to intervene. The State Board of Elections should have voluntarily taken these steps to ensure a free and fair election."

On Saturday evening, after a two-day hearing, a Federal Judge ordered in the NCGOP's favor, requiring the SBOE to take the following steps on Election Day:

1) Provide written and oral notice to every voter using touch screen machines that problems exist, and to carefully review their ballots before confirming them.

3) Issue an order that poll workers in all precincts be required to keep a record of all complaints by voters regarding the touch screen voting machines.

The suit was filed against the SBOE by the NCGOP after receiving multiple reports of voting inaccuracies in counties across North Carolina. The complaints followed a similar pattern, in that voters using touch screen voting machines were attempting to cast a straight-ticket Republican vote, while the machine attempted to verify their vote as a straight-ticket Democrat.

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State Board of Elections officials are meeting with GOP officials Saturday in Raleigh to discuss recent problems occurring with electronic voting machines.

Those officials are trying to come up with a resolution after North Carolina's Republican Party sued the State Board of Elections Friday, alleging that touch-screen machines are thwarting efforts by voters to cast Repubican ballots.

Election officials have said there have only been a few isolated problems with voting machines and that officials were able to quickly fix the problems.

Republican Party officials say they have heard problems in a number of counties. They are demanding that election officials provide notice to all voters about problems, preserve all data and track all complaints.

Two Craven County Election workers were fired after they talked to WITN about these problems.

We will bring you an update on this meeting as soon as it becomes available.

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